by Poppets of the Pearl
a.k.a. Cherry-Alanna and LittleBlackStarz
Disclaimer: You know what we own. Adelia. Odessa. The plot. No stealing. And please no flames--be kind. Don't spoil the movie for us. But, Constructive criticism is accepted, with thanks.
~Chapter 7: Promises
The sun, which currently blazed quarterly in the topaz morning sky, gracefully brighten the empty, dusty streets of Spain, creating a heavenly glow to the place.
As Odessa walked outside of the crowded bar, absent-mindedly cleaning her tanned hands, she noticed the sun's position and the rays that created shadows on a nearby sundial, revealing that is was half past nine.
As Odessa placed a loose swarthy piece of hair behind her ear, she tried to think of reasons why her brother and his pirate friends were late meeting her. She thought of personal emergencies, especially after the bewildering night Will and that fiery girl Capt. Sparrow had brought to dinner with them had experienced. Drinkers, pirates, and prostitutes were still discussing the previous display, while drinking to their heart's content in her bar.
Nevertheless, Odessa couldn't see how Will's ordeal would affect his choice to meet her family; he seemed pretty anxious last night. Due to this, the only explanation she could draw was that somehow William had stood her up. And no one did that to her, Odessa consoled to herself, dark eyes glittering as she noticed the black sails of the ship where her companions had boarded. As if they were laughing, the sails and flag taunted her in the light breeze. Odessa tried desperately to turn away and return to her customers, but some fire in her that longed for answers roused her.
The next thing Odessa knew, she was running towards the ship called the Black Pearl, her curly hair falling from it's neat bun and her sky blue dress attracting dust from the road.
***
As the rays peaked through her purple tattered curtains and fell on her peaceful face, Adelia opened her eyes. Almost immediately, Adelia sat up, rubbing her eyes and cursing the sunlight, and Jack. The sunlight because it had awoken her from the slumber that had finally claimed her after hours of tossing and turning. And cursed Jack because, well, she felt like it.
After taking her time to get out of bed, Adelia quickly dressed herself, mumbling about how she hated the cold. She threw on a light, silk, purple blouse with black breeches and completed her outfit with calf-high black boots. Instead of letting her red hair fall loosely past her shoulders as she normally did, Adelia placed it in a rather interesting twist that she had seen her foster mother perform many a time. Adelia didn't know what had possessed her to dress up her fiery mane, but as she finished, she noticed through the reflection of the mirror that her fingertips had slowly made their way to her swollen lips, curiously.
Not wanting to think about the previous kiss, Adelia busied herself with tiding her unmade bed. But halfway through her rather sloppy job, she decided to was no use. The lips of Will Turner and the lengthy kiss they had shared was burned into her brain.
She knew she wasn't in love, especially not with William Turner! The foolish, naive, and misrepresenting offspring of Bootstrap Bill Turner! That pirate had had more charm than he knew what to do with!, Adelia thought, rather fondly, but crossly. Old Bill had been a good companion to her as a child, even though he once had told her he ate little girls.
Adelia had to admit it; Will had inherited some of his father's charm and good looks. Yet, contrary to his father, Will was shy and rather sweet. Adelia didn't know if she like it or not.
Bringing her back to reality was a harsh tap at her door. Hoping to God it wasn't one of her drunken friends she answered it. It was Gibbs.
"Adelia," he started, panting from loss of breathe, "There's a woman here demanding to see Will, the captain, or you. She says her name is Odessa...Odessa something. We can't find Will, he isn't in his chambers; the captain is sleeping like a log, most likely because of a hangover. So, she wants to see you, and refuses to leave until she does."
Adelia hadn't the foggiest clue who Odessa was, but she had a gut feeling it was the woman from the night before.
"Alright, Gibbs, I'll take care of it. Where is she?"
~
Following Gibbs' simple directions, Adelia found this Odessa where he'd said she'd be. And sure enough it was the same woman.
"Hello," Adelia started causally, "Nice to see you again, Miss Odessa."
Odessa stood from her seat of a barrel and acknowledged the younger woman. "As it is a pleasure to see you, Miss...um-"
"Adelia," the wench supplied for her. "I don't believe ye were given my name last night. But what brings ye to our humble home, miss?"
Odessa rather liked the way the girl had cut her to the quick; tossing useless small talk aside. "My brother, Will, and Captain Sparrow said that the three of you were going to meet me at my bar half-an-hour ago for an outing to my home. I've rearranged my schedule for it, and demand you do the same."
If Odessa had noticed the confusion in Adelia's eyes as she named Will her brother, she didn't voice it; something Adelia much appreciated.
Adelia, though, became concerned when the gypsy informed her of the promise the men had made to her. "I'm sorry, Miss Odessa, I wasn't aware of these plans. It's just like men, isn't it? Make promises, then don't intend to keep them? Well, both Jack and Mr. Turner had a little drinking party last night, and both are happily passed out in different parts of the ship. But a promise is a promise, so come with me."
Not giving her much choice, Odessa followed the red-head to what she later found out were the captain's quarters. Eyes wide with shock, Odessa stopped Adelia from entering the room.
"Is he in there? Asleep?" Odessa asked her.
Adelia lightly grinned. "Yes, and probably sprawled out on the floor, too. But he needs to be woken up if he is going to some caravan this afternoon."
"Odessa's eyes grew larger. "You mean we're going in there? In a man's bedroom??"
"No," Adelia replied in a hushed whisper, "We're not going anywhere; I'm going inside." With that, Adelia entered the faintly lit room before Odessa could interrupt her again, leaving the gypsy perplexed.
Feeling the need to do something, Odessa decided to search for her brother.
Jack and this Adelia had to be lovers, Odessa concluded, there was no other logical explanation. The girl had entered his bedroom as if it were nothing!
Jack had seemed to be much older than Adelia, but there was a special sort of spark between the two pirates; even she had seen it. Odessa had liked to believe it was only an extremely deep friendship, but love had been her heartfelt conclusion. And for that, Odessa couldn't help being jealous of Adelia.
~
Adelia had only been half correct in her assumption that Jack was sprawled out on the floor. He had, in fact, almost made it in bed. His upper half of his body lazily graced the sheets, while his legs and feet tumbled onto the wooden floor.
Knowing he had a rather large hangover and that he had promised away their day, Adelia found Jack's pistol in his sword belt. Taking the safety off and cocking it, she pointed it at a nearby old and worn lounge sofa. Covering one ear, Adelia shot one bullet, knowing the loud boom would awake him.
And it certainly did.
Turning his pounding head slowly, he studied her a moment with a earnest glare, one that she replied to with a ostentatious look. Was she crazy?? After a quick glance at her hair, he noticed the fancy twist and arched one eyebrow in question.
"Morning, darling," she announced, too bloody cheerful for his taste. Yet he could have kissed her when she handed him a glass of water.
Wiping the smile off her face, Adelia sat down on the floor beside his half-clothed form.
"Get dressed," she commanded him. "That Odessa woman is here, claiming that she is to take us to her family; you, me, and William. Get dressed now, because you are not leaving me alone with two Turners all day. Especially since I don't think either one of them like me. The dame or the boy."
Jack grinned like a boy just given a treat. "Oh, I wouldn't say that."
When Adelia cocked her head in confusion, Jack puckered his lips and kissed the air, making loud smacking nosies. Adelia's reaction was the one he had wanted. Her eyes went wide and blazed furiously; her mouth came open in horror; her hands shook in her lap.
"You...you...you watched us?!?" Adelia practically screamed.
"And enjoyed watching. As I suspect, ye enjoyed doing, or that's the way it looked to me," Jack smirked.
"I did not! I would rather cut me own throat. But why didn't you do anything to help?" she asked.
"I thought ye and Mr. Turner made a handsome couple. Besides, I didn't want to interrupt."
Adelia just sat there, astounded and horrified.
"Love, as I've told ye before, I believe ye need a man at yer side, because this old pirate won't be around forever to look after ye. Part of me, my insanity I suppose, feels Mr. Turner is that man."
At that Adelia stood up. "I don't need a man, Jack. I don't need anyone."
His voice became a hush as he murmured, "Ye need me."
Adelia, looking down at his sitting form, saw the hurt plainly written on his fallen face. In one quick gesture, she was on her knees again, hugging her old friend tightly. "Yes, I suppose I do."
~
Odessa walked down the musty hallway of the Black Pearl's hull, lightly tapping on random doors as she went. Currently she'd been to about four doors, and none contained Will. But as she approached the last one in the row, she held her breath as she knocked.
She heard a loud groan from inside, and heard what sounded like someone falling onto the floor.
"Will?" she said to the door, hoping it was him. The door creaked open, and Will emerged, soberly.
"Odessa!" He seemed startled to see her. Then he seemed to have a realization. His drunken memory was coming back. Dinner the night before...Adelia's pirate group of friends...his overreaction...and his first promise to his sister.
"The caravan..oh, I'm so sorry, I was completely involved in my own problems and forgot..."
"It's alright...I'm altogether not that angry. Can we perhaps leave now?" Odessa replied, smiling and taking her brother's hand.
Will smiled in return and walked with her up to the deck, rarely staggering.
Jack and Adelia were up on deck already, Adelia looking irritable but anxious nonetheless and Jack looking pensive.
"Well, shall we be off?" Will asked Jack and Adelia. Adelia muttered something unreadable under her breath and Jack turned away from her to face them. He grinned as his eyes met Odessa's.
"How pleasurable it is to see ye again, Odessa," he greeted, kissing her hand. He saw Will shift uncomfortably at their interaction.
"The pleasure is all mine, Captain Sparrow," Odessa replied, smiling sweetly.
Behind them, Adelia was mocking Odessa's nauseous (to her, anyway) words, catching Jack's attention.
"If you have something to say to Odessa, love, then why don't ye say it to her face?" he asked, his face serious, his eyes laughing. When all attention turned to Adelia, her expression put a smirk on his face.
She merely smiled, though his remark had, at first, caught her by surprise.
"I don't feel I have anythin' to say, Jack. Ye must've been mistaken," she said with a smirk similar to her old friend's. She turned on her heel, leaving the ship first.
Jack turned again to Odessa, who was looking after Adelia, a worried look on her face.
"Don't worry yerself, love, she's a bit moody occasionally...you'll get used to it."
"She won't have to get used to it," Will declared abruptly, an angered look on his face as he ushered Odessa off of the ship. Jack bit his lip and followed them, worried that if one thing would come between Will and Adelia, it would be Adelia's blasted tongue.
He would have to do something soon, he decided, to not drive them apart any further.
~*~
REVIEW!!! TAKE 3 SECONDS OUT OF YOUR LIFE TO REVIEW! PLEASE! We want 4-8 reviews for the next update. No flames!